Pro Motocross Announces Amended 2020 Schedule

Edited Date/Time 4/24/2020 2:49am
Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Announces Amended Event Schedule for 2020 Season

In Response to COVID-19, Series Will Now Begin on June 13

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (March 20, 2020) – In response to the evolving health crisis surrounding the COVID-19 coronavirus, MX Sports Pro Racing has officially announced an amended event schedule for the 2020 season of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. Under this revised championship calendar, the 49th season of the world’s most prestigious off-road motorcycle racing series will commence on Saturday, June 13, beginning with the Florida National from Jacksonville’s WW Ranch Motocross Park.

“While the whole world is trying to cope with the ongoing global pandemic that is the COVID-19 coronavirus, we have diligently looked at the impending future of our own championship and the impact this will inevitably have on this annual summer tradition,” said Davey Coombs, President of MX Sports Pro Racing. “While the series has unfortunately already been affected by this pandemic with the cancellation of American motocross’ longest running event, the Hangtown Motocross Classic, we have developed a condensed and redesigned schedule for the remainder of the championship that will now start a little less than three months from now.

“It is our hope that in postponing the start of our season for this additional month, the extended period of time will not only allow for us to obtain a clearer picture of the state of the pandemic, but also provide ample opportunity for our series partners, teams, competitors, and fans to plan accordingly. The updated calendar would allow us to still successfully host a complete season of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross competition, in a quick and concise fashion will leave other parts of the calendar open for other racing activities.”

Under the new schedule, the 11-round series would open with seven consecutive weekends of racing, where the Florida National will be followed by the High Point National (June 20), the Southwick National (June 27), the RedBud National (July 4), the Thunder Valley National (July 11), the Spring Creek National (July 18), and the Washougal National (July 25). Following a two week break, the championship will return for its stretch run, beginning with the Unadilla National (August 15), followed by the Budds Creek National (August 22), the Ironman National (August 29), and the Fox Raceway National, which will end the season on Labor Day weekend (September 5).


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RG1
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3/20/2020 2:29pm
A smart schedule. Well done guys
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avidchimp
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3/20/2020 2:32pm
Not to be a Debbie Downer, but the tv/film industry is looking at getting back to work in the beginning of July at the earliest.
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aeffertz
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3/20/2020 2:46pm
Thankful the weekends I had scheduled off of work are still the same race weekends! Can’t wait. Hopefully things are back to normal come June.
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Paw Paw 271
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3/20/2020 2:56pm Edited Date/Time 3/20/2020 2:57pm
Thanks to MX Sports for keeping us informed. Job well done!
I see they left a window for LL's to be run in the schedule, should that happen.

Paw Paw
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DC
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3/20/2020 3:00pm
avidchimp wrote:
Not to be a Debbie Downer, but the tv/film industry is looking at getting back to work in the beginning of July at the earliest.
We know it's optimistic, but we are hopeful that this gave everyone a chance to at least plan for what lay three months away from now... If it becomes apparent that we can't start June 13, we will make the necessary (and maybe painful) adjustments. We are all in this together, old friend!

DC
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DC
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3/20/2020 3:01pm
Thanks to MX Sports for keeping us informed. Job well done! I see they left a window for LL's to be run in the schedule, should...
Thanks to MX Sports for keeping us informed. Job well done!
I see they left a window for LL's to be run in the schedule, should that happen.

Paw Paw
It is our every intention to run Loretta Lynn's, but those two off-weekends are more reflective of NBC's hopes to run the Olympics this year. Until they make a decision there, we felt it prudent to leave those dates open as they originally were set with the network...

DC
Racer X
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3/20/2020 3:10pm
Would be nice if this comes to fruition.....but I don't see it with the wholesale destruction of our economy right now.

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oldblood
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3/20/2020 3:23pm
Our country and world are at war with the virus. During WW2 our sports and entertainment tried very hard to lift people's spirits especially those in the trenches. Of course it's much more difficult to do that with a virus that discourages gathering, but it's needed just the same and will be more needed as time goes on.
Hopefully there is an opportunity for mx to help out with that(it is an outdoor activity), who knows it could attract enthusiasts in the future.
I appreciate the effort.
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2
3/20/2020 3:33pm
I cant for the life of me understand why you end up with the schedule taking you across the country 3 times with no breaks until after Washougal. Why not just put the west races consecutively? They're far enough apart that you're not pulling attendance from another race. It seems to have always been an issue and I've traveled the entire schedule, those races like that suck for everyone from privateers to truck drivers.
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avidchimp
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3/20/2020 3:35pm Edited Date/Time 3/20/2020 3:36pm
DC wrote:
We know it's optimistic, but we are hopeful that this gave everyone a chance to at least plan for what lay three months away from now...
We know it's optimistic, but we are hopeful that this gave everyone a chance to at least plan for what lay three months away from now... If it becomes apparent that we can't start June 13, we will make the necessary (and maybe painful) adjustments. We are all in this together, old friend!

DC
Racer X
I know you and the crew are doing everything possible, and I appreciate it more than you know.

This just sucks all around. I need my MX Nationals!!!

Hang in there, my Friend, all will work it's self out eventually.
3/20/2020 3:48pm Edited Date/Time 3/20/2020 3:48pm
I cant for the life of me understand why you end up with the schedule taking you across the country 3 times with no breaks until...
I cant for the life of me understand why you end up with the schedule taking you across the country 3 times with no breaks until after Washougal. Why not just put the west races consecutively? They're far enough apart that you're not pulling attendance from another race. It seems to have always been an issue and I've traveled the entire schedule, those races like that suck for everyone from privateers to truck drivers.
I’d imagine the reason behind this is a track like Red Bud has always been on Fourth of July weekend and they would like to continue that tradition.

I’m not going to pretend to know what kind of deal the tracks have with MXSports but I wouldn’t be surprised if Red Bud pays to have that weekend each year.
DC
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3/20/2020 3:58pm Edited Date/Time 3/20/2020 3:59pm
I cant for the life of me understand why you end up with the schedule taking you across the country 3 times with no breaks until...
I cant for the life of me understand why you end up with the schedule taking you across the country 3 times with no breaks until after Washougal. Why not just put the west races consecutively? They're far enough apart that you're not pulling attendance from another race. It seems to have always been an issue and I've traveled the entire schedule, those races like that suck for everyone from privateers to truck drivers.
I’d imagine the reason behind this is a track like Red Bud has always been on Fourth of July weekend and they would like to continue...
I’d imagine the reason behind this is a track like Red Bud has always been on Fourth of July weekend and they would like to continue that tradition.

I’m not going to pretend to know what kind of deal the tracks have with MXSports but I wouldn’t be surprised if Red Bud pays to have that weekend each year.
RedBud does not pay anything extra for their date. They are excellent promoters, with an excellent event, and an ever-improving facility. The riders love the track, the fans love the tradition, and we are lucky to have them as the centerpiece of this series. They got the date long before MX Sports came along, and they have earned the right to keep it time and again.

There are local limitations and other big regional events, as well as tradition, that plays a big part in scheduling. But we also try our best to make it as easy as possible for the teams and privateers. For many, many years my family's High Point National was a Memorial Day tradition and very successful. Steel City was Labor Day... But we had to make changes and moves that weren't always for the benefit of those events. High Point is now in June, Steel City is gone. It sucks that there are more miles on the map than some would want, but it's not as easy as just getting a ruler out and drawing short, straight lines.

DC
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Myke
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3/20/2020 5:31pm
Dang now I have to wait all the way till September for the free ride day at Glen Helen.......

Nice work staying on top of the schedule so we can see some racing!
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RichieW13
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3/20/2020 6:30pm
Thanks to MX Sports for keeping us informed. Job well done! I see they left a window for LL's to be run in the schedule, should...
Thanks to MX Sports for keeping us informed. Job well done!
I see they left a window for LL's to be run in the schedule, should that happen.

Paw Paw
DC wrote:
It is our every intention to run Loretta Lynn's, but those two off-weekends are more reflective of NBC's hopes to run the Olympics this year. Until...
It is our every intention to run Loretta Lynn's, but those two off-weekends are more reflective of NBC's hopes to run the Olympics this year. Until they make a decision there, we felt it prudent to leave those dates open as they originally were set with the network...

DC
Racer X
Don't the Olympics cross 3 weekends? July 24-Aug 9: https://www.olympic.org/news/tokyo-2020-olympic-games-detailed-events-s…
DC
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3/20/2020 8:28pm
Thanks to MX Sports for keeping us informed. Job well done! I see they left a window for LL's to be run in the schedule, should...
Thanks to MX Sports for keeping us informed. Job well done!
I see they left a window for LL's to be run in the schedule, should that happen.

Paw Paw
DC wrote:
It is our every intention to run Loretta Lynn's, but those two off-weekends are more reflective of NBC's hopes to run the Olympics this year. Until...
It is our every intention to run Loretta Lynn's, but those two off-weekends are more reflective of NBC's hopes to run the Olympics this year. Until they make a decision there, we felt it prudent to leave those dates open as they originally were set with the network...

DC
Racer X
RichieW13 wrote:
Don't the Olympics cross 3 weekends? July 24-Aug 9: https://www.olympic.org/news/tokyo-2020-olympic-games-detailed-events-s…
The big events--the finals, I guess--are later in the Games... Thus, the programming blockade.

DC
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dkg
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3/20/2020 8:35pm Edited Date/Time 3/20/2020 8:39pm
RG1 wrote:
A smart schedule. Well done guys
Agreed. Difficult to imagine the effort it would take to re-do a schedule so quickly with all the moving pieces in play right now. Looks great! Thank you DC and MXSports.
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observeroffacts
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3/20/2020 8:39pm
I support whatever decision DC and Outdoor Moto decides is best. You’ve got my support, and frankly I am thankful that a day will come where we can anticipate the races. We will all surely appreciate them more than ever.
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ChrisB10
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3/20/2020 9:43pm
Appreciate the transparency DC.
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MZ193
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3/21/2020 12:27am
aeffertz wrote:
Thankful the weekends I had scheduled off of work are still the same race weekends! Can’t wait. Hopefully things are back to normal come June.
They won’t come back to normal in june.. i highly doubt.
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Vet57
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3/21/2020 5:29am
Might have been a long time ago but the old Trans Ama series rolled from East to West...just sayin.
oldblood
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3/21/2020 6:28am
MZ193 wrote:
They won’t come back to normal in june.. i highly doubt.
All depends on when China shares the antidote.
5
DC
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3/21/2020 6:48am
Vet57 wrote:
Might have been a long time ago but the old Trans Ama series rolled from East to West...just sayin.
Maybe that's why it only lasted 12 years and faded away?

DC
Racer X
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bents
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3/21/2020 7:18am
Well, here is hoping for the best Davey. I want to be optimistic about this. Thanks for coming in and giving us the update first hand. Stay safe everyone.
DC
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3/21/2020 12:23pm
DC, can you share any insight into why Hangtown couldn’t be postponed?
It's a California State Park and they apparently felt that the only time they could run it was on its actual date of May 16, and hope to be back there in 2021. And we didn't add another track or promoter as we want to be done as soon as possible and not go into the football season...

DC
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CivBars
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3/21/2020 12:28pm
If tax day is being pushed back 3 months, that's most likely what everything else will align with I'm thinking? I hope this is the only schedule change we see but I'm not holding my breath. DC, I commend you for your efforts with this balancing act!
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Excaliburbmx
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3/21/2020 12:54pm
Would be nice if this comes to fruition.....but I don't see it with the wholesale destruction of our economy right now.

You mean the stock market? Fickle speculation and some future optimism on trades?

If those companies values and books are in order the market will quickly adjust to where it should be.
2

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